"attempted to break his fall using safety ropes"-- yeah, right. DH didn't see the fall itself, he just heard the rope swishing through the device and then a loud thud of the body... followed by a scream.

From what I heard (whatever the hearsay is worth) the belayer was very inexperienced, possibly lead belaying for the first time. The device was ATC-XP. There was probably still some friction when the belayer lost control of the rope, which slowed the guy down some, and he hit soft (relatively speaking) mud with his heels when he decked, which probably diffused some of the force, too.

The rock climber who was injured Saturday afternoon after falling about 40 feet in the New River Gorge area was listed in fair condition Sunday night, according to a spokesperson at Charleston Area Medical Center.

Frank Sellers, a ranger with the New River Gorge National River, said 33-year-old Weston Mark-ham of Pittsburgh, Pa., was about halfway to the top of the 75- to 80-foot rock, near the old Kaymoor Mine site in Fayetteville, when he plummeted to the ground.

Sellers said Markham, an experienced climber who had been to the area before, had traveled, with a climbing companion, down for the weekend.

Following Markham’s accident, Sellers said another climber called 911.

Because of the location of the rock, Sellers said emergency responders had to walk about a mile through the woods to get to Markham, who was carried out about 40 minutes later.

Sellers said Markham, who was transported, by HealthNet, from Fayetteville High School to Charleston Area Medical Center, was alert during the rescue and complained of pain in his arm, neck and back.

In addition to NPS officials, the Fayetteville Fire Department and the Fayette County High Angle Rescue Team also responded.

That's about the extent of what I know, too. Talked to the climbing ranger today. He added that the two of them didn't actually know each other very well. Might be a case of not screening partners before roping up with them. He also told me the girl claimed the climber was out of sight, which I don't understand. There's clear line of sight from the base all the way up, IIRC. That leaves me wondering if perhaps it wasn't a different route. Flight of the Gumby maybe? (Yes, I see the irony. No need to point it out.)

The route in question, Greenpiece, is 10b. It's kind of a one move wonder, but the one move is tricky. Many a 5.10 climber has been surprised by it and either bailed or found him/herself airborne.

That's about the extent of what I know, too. Talked to the climbing ranger today. He added that the two of them didn't actually know each other very well. Might be a case of not screening partners before roping up with them. He also told me the girl claimed the climber was out of sight, which I don't understand. There's clear line of sight from the base all the way up, IIRC. That leaves me wondering if perhaps it wasn't a different route. Flight of the Gumby maybe? (Yes, I see the irony. No need to point it out.)

The route in question, Greenpiece, is 10b. It's kind of a one move wonder, but the one move is tricky. Many a 5.10 climber has been surprised by it and either bailed or found him/herself airborne.

Greenpiece is definitely clear line of site bottom to top. Definitely sounds more like the climber was on Gumby, as that's the ONLY route I can think of in that section of Butcher's Branch where the leader can get out of sight of the belay.

Anyway, glad to hear the guy's ok, but this is why I don't pick partners lightly.

Yeah, I heard it from my husband last night. He was there and retrieved the guy's quickdraws.

All right, I'm lena_chita's husband. This guy and the girl started with Flight of the Gumby, but I heard that it was too hard for her, so they moved to the left. The guy asked me if the route I was belaying was Boing. I said no. It was Bicycle Club and the Boing is around the corner. I pointed them at the Green Piece and Low Voltage as the easiest routes after FotG.

The guy was very cheerful and self-confident. He asked the girl if she minded to try the Green Piece. She was very shy and it looked like this was her first or one of the first climbing outdoors. They moved over. We finished with our route and the last I saw was this guy clipping the first draw on the Green Piece. He was doing it kinda awkward.

We went around the corner to the HArdcore female thrash. Then I heard girl's scream, buzz of the rope and a thud of impact. My friend next to me said, 'I don't like the sound of it.'

We went over and there was a group of climbers around the fallen guy. He was very pale, but breathing. There was some blood bubbling out of his mouth, but it could be from a broken tooth. He was complaining about lower back pain. He could move his feet and feel his toes.

His rope was clipped into the last bolt of the Green Piece. There were no draws at the chains. An ATC-XP was still on the rope a few feet above the ground.

There was a doctor and a first response expert among the climbers. They did everything very quick and professionally. The guy was extremely lucky to have them around. The FR guy was holding his head and neck still all the time until the paramedics came. The doctor was examining him, talking to him constantly to make sure he was conscious, and taking his vitals. Another young man was wiping blood and applying pads to the guy's bleeding lacerations.

So, what happened? As far as I heard, the girl and the guy had climbed together in the gym only twice. She did not even know his last name. It sounded like she was paying him the rope when he fell at the pumpy crux right below the chains. I've seen people taking 20 ft falls from this spot. It may actually benefit from an extra bolt.

She might have released her grip on the rope while giving him slack. As he fell, she panicked and could not grab the rope back.

He fell about 60 ft and hit this hard-packed dirt feet first. There were two craters. Then he skidded about 10-15 feet down the slope with rocks and roots on it.

Paramedics gave him an IV. I did not see how they transported the guy to the helicopter. Apparently it took some effort to carry him over the stream bed. With help of Melissa, an experienced trad climber from the Gunks, I took down his draws and the rope and gave them to a couple from New Jersey, Melissa and Scott. Scott ran up the hill with the guy's gear to deliver it to his car, helicopter, or whatever.

I did not climb any more that day. When we left, there were two O-shaped biners, a toothbrush and a roll of tape on a colored string on a rock, which could have belonged to the injured guy.

Yeah, I heard it from my husband last night. He was there and retrieved the guy's quickdraws.

All right, I'm lena_chita's husband. This guy and the girl started with Flight of the Gumby, but I heard that it was too hard for her, so they moved to the left. The guy asked me if the route I was belaying was Boing. I said no. It was Bicycle Club and the Boing is around the corner. I pointed them at the Green Piece and Low Voltage as the easiest routes after FotG.

The guy was very cheerful and self-confident. He asked the girl if she minded to try the Green Piece. She was very shy and it looked like this was her first or one of the first climbing outdoors. They moved over. We finished with our route and the last I saw was this guy clipping the first draw on the Green Piece. He was doing it kinda awkward.

We went around the corner to the HArdcore female thrash. Then I heard girl's scream, buzz of the rope and a thud of impact. My friend next to me said, 'I don't like the sound of it.'

We went over and there was a group of climbers around the fallen guy. He was very pale, but breathing. There was some blood bubbling out of his mouth, but it could be from a broken tooth. He was complaining about lower back pain. He could move his feet and feel his toes.

His rope was clipped into the last bolt of the Green Piece. There were no draws at the chains. An ATC-XP was still on the rope a few feet above the ground.

There was a doctor and a first response expert among the climbers. They did everything very quick and professionally. The guy was extremely lucky to have them around. The FR guy was holding his head and neck still all the time until the paramedics came. The doctor was examining him, talking to him constantly to make sure he was conscious, and taking his vitals. Another young man was wiping blood and applying pads to the guy's bleeding lacerations.

So, what happened? As far as I heard, the girl and the guy had climbed together in the gym only twice. She did not even know his last name. It sounded like she was paying him the rope when he fell at the pumpy crux right below the chains. I've seen people taking 20 ft falls from this spot. It may actually benefit from an extra bolt.

She might have released her grip on the rope while giving him slack. As he fell, she panicked and could not grab the rope back.

He fell about 60 ft and hit this hard-packed dirt feet first. There were two craters. Then he skidded about 10-15 feet down the slope with rocks and roots on it.

Paramedics gave him an IV. I did not see how they transported the guy to the helicopter. Apparently it took some effort to carry him over the stream bed. With help of Melissa, an experienced trad climber from the Gunks, I took down his draws and the rope and gave them to a couple from New Jersey, Melissa and Scott. Scott ran up the hill with the guy's gear to deliver it to his car, helicopter, or whatever.

I did not climb any more that day. When we left, there were two O-shaped biners, a toothbrush and a roll of tape on a colored string on a rock, which could have belonged to the injured guy.

Yeah these reports are bummers. Man I have to be more selective on choosing belayers....

Hope the dude is ok.

Thanks to everyone that helped him!

I see people belaying and letting go of the rope with their brake hand on every trip to any crag. I'm not surprised that strnagers don't say anything but it sucks. I'm going to start being an ass and telling people they are belaying wrong.

I too hope the dude is okay. I also hope the belayer doesn't get too wrapped up in feeling like crap. It's likely that no one told her that catching a fall is hard and that letting go of the rope for any amount of time, no matter how short, can be diasterous.

Yeah these reports are bummers. Man I have to be more selective on choosing belayers....

Hope the dude is ok.

Thanks to everyone that helped him!

I see people belaying and letting go of the rope with their brake hand on every trip to any crag. I'm not surprised that strnagers don't say anything but it sucks. I'm going to start being an ass and telling people they are belaying wrong.

I too hope the dude is okay. I also hope the belayer doesn't get too wrapped up in feeling like crap. It's likely that no one told her that catching a fall is hard and that letting go of the rope for any amount of time, no matter how short, can be diasterous.

Dave

Yeah... I have been reading through so many accidents that are belayer error... It made me realize that I am going to have to be more selective of who belays for me too. Which unfortunately leaves me with about 2 people that I'll let belay for me that I regularly climb with.

Glad the guy is in stable condition and hoping he won't have any residual issues (other than a hightened sense of safety and awareness of who he picks to belay his leads from now on).

You know what is really freaky? About a week ago (Father's Day) I took the kids hiking at NRG. We only did the top of the Endless Wall trail system and never went down any of the ladders. But the night before we went, I had this vision of someone grounding like that right in front of me. It's totally coincidental I'm sure, simply a product of my own imagination - as I often run over in my mind what I would do in such a circumstances. I even do it when I get ready for a road trip - think about how to deal with a MVA with multiple injuries and patients (I used to be an EMT and worked search and rescue and ski patrol - so it's an old habit). Really kind of disturbing that a real fall should occure so soon after my visit that is so similar to my personal musings.

i see people taking there breaking hand off the rope all the time when i go climbing. this is my first year climbing so i feel a little out of place being the noob and calling someone out, but do you think i should mention it to them? ive never taken my breaking hand off the rope but i do see people switch hands (always leaving one had on the rope), granted i dont think i would ever practice this technique because i could totally see it leading to bad habbits but do you guys consider it a safe means of belaying?

I was taught it is a cardinal sin to ever have a hand off the break. If you have to scratch your anatomy, you keep a hand on the break side of the rope. Period. I think it is ackward to hold the break with my left hand (opposing side from where I usually belay) so I try to keep scratching to my left hand so my right is ALWAYS on the break. With that said, there are a few times I've held the break with left hand to readjust something - but never near a crux and always with pleanty of communication with my lead climber - preferably when they are at a stance or tucked in bomb proof on a crack so I can do what ever it is fast and get back to being a safe belayer.

Caught my husband on a 25 footer at Indian Creek with palms up. Not the hugest whip but pulled me up a decent amount. That's how he taught me to belay; tried it palm down after reading some posts here and felt totally insecure.

From what I heard (whatever the hearsay is worth) the belayer was very inexperienced, possibly lead belaying for the first time.

Regardless of whether or not this girl was inexperienced, the story highlights the crucially serious role the lead belayer plays in climbing situations and how little regard some climbers look upon the skill involved.

In other "do I know how to belay?" threads on here, I have actually read posts by climbers who said they did not see what the big deal was, it only takes about five or ten minutes to learn how to lead belay properly, it's not rocket science, yadda yadda. I take note to avoid these people like Phoenix asphalt on a July day.

Lol... I don't know if it is just that I have been browsing the forums for too long today or what, but I found this funny.

On topic though, I would like to compile a list of belayer related accidents. Not necessarily just fatality related, so I don't know that the "statistical publication" is really what I am looking for... but just a list of different cases where the belayer should have saved the climber and didn't... After all the reading I've done today, I'd like to read what mistakes and/or techniques have led to ground falls and whatnot. Besides just searching through this site thread by thread, any suggestions from anyone? I may resort to just compiling a list of things on rc.com, but I don't want the list to have a bias of some sorts by just containing stuff from here.

i see people taking there breaking hand off the rope all the time when i go climbing. this is my first year climbing so i feel a little out of place being the noob and calling someone out, but do you think i should mention it to them? ive never taken my breaking hand off the rope but i do see people switch hands (always leaving one had on the rope), granted i dont think i would ever practice this technique because i could totally see it leading to bad habbits but do you guys consider it a safe means of belaying?

definitely. i even keep my hand on the break end even when belaying with a grigri (unless im feeding slack).